Born and raised in a poor family, Jillian Auma, who is now 25, was unable to attain an education. As a result, she became redundant at her parents' home, a state that jeopardised her dignity and health.

“My parents would not provide everything I needed, because they are poor. I would in most cases seek financial support from male friends. But this was a big risk as they would in return expect me to pay back in the form of sex,” she says.

Fortunately, in 2021, she learnt how to bake, thanks to a three-week training from the ‘I DECIDE’ project by Plan International Uganda (PIU).  

Today, Auma, a resident of Oguru sub-county in Lira district, runs a small enterprise that sells mandazi (a form of fried bread) and muffins. She uses a Lytefire solar oven.

Auma says she no longer begs for survival. She not only fends for herself, but also supports her family with basic needs.

“From the profits I get, I save, and I have since started investing in maize growing. This also supplements my earnings from the bakery. I make over sh200,000 monthly. I can now support my parents and my siblings, something that I feel is a great achievement,” she says.

As Uganda joins the rest of the world to commemorate the International Youth Day today (August 12), experts have observed that skilling and economic empowerment of the youth are the cornerstones in upholding their sexual and reproductive health practice.

Martin Ogwang, the project manager of ‘I DECIDE’ at PIU, says that whereas provision of necessary knowledge has led to some strides towards changing youth attitudes, poverty continues to be a major challenge that reverses the gains.

“Recent studies conducted on sexual reproductive health and rights have indicated that young people acquire knowledge, change attitude, but the practice remains the same. One of the key barriers young people face towards change of their practice is economic dependence on the perpetrators who are violating their rights,” he says.

Ogwang says sustainable economic activities, mainly acquired through skilling, led to personal development among young women and men aged 17-26, and enabled the Government to address sexual reproductive health rights issues that arise out of engaging in risky sexual behaviour for survival.

Role of youths

The national celebrations for the International Youth Day will take place in Kabale district, western Uganda.

A youth village saving group in Nebbi district meeting in one of their sessions.

The function will be themed: 'Accelerating recovery from COVID-19 and full implementation of the 2030 Agenda: The role of youth.'

Uganda has the second youngest population in the world, with more than three quarters (78 per cent) of its 46-strong population below the age of 35, according to United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

With just under eight million youth aged 15-30, the country also has one of the highest youth unemployment rates in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Due to the Government's strict measures to combat the spread of COVID-19 pandemic, the youth were faced with education disruptions and economic downturn, resulting in job losses, loss of income, limited access to resources and opportunities.

The gender and labour ministry says gender-based violence increased during the pandemic, heightened risks, including increased rates of early marriages, unintended pregnancies, and reduced access to reproductive health services.

The assistant commissioner for youth and children at the ministry, Francis Mondo Kyateka, commends young people for playing a big role in the uptake of available government and private interventions such as the Youth Livelihood Programme.

“A coordination mechanism for youth programmes was operationalized, and it should be used to bring together all youth actors to deliver as one, for improved service delivery for youth,” he says.

In Nebbi, youth village saving groups under the Resilient Empowered Adolescent Led (REAL) project enable their members to meet financial, personal and family needs.

Their meetings double as peer education sessions, where they discuss issues affecting youths, such as avoiding teenage pregnancy and bad influences as well maintaining sanitation and learning life skills.